The wickedly barbed typeface used in the top comp is Asteriod Primo.
Showing posts with label book cover. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book cover. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
What does satire look like?
These are cover ideas for a new project—a satirical novel about corporate backstabbing (literally and figuratively). Featuring deadly fountain pens, metaphorical nudity, slang spewing mobsters, and HR execs gone amuck, this cover should have been easier to design (the tone! the tone!). At the eleventh hour and at the end of a couple of long days, I'm finally happy with the results.
The wickedly barbed typeface used in the top comp is Asteriod Primo.
The wickedly barbed typeface used in the top comp is Asteriod Primo.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
New author video and website
This just out from one of our sweetest and buffest authors, Holly Mosier: a really well-made video intro (and other videos as well) and a website that takes the look and feel of the cover design to a branded level. Congrats, guys. Nicely done!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Texas memoir
Every project has its challenges. This cover is for a fictionalized memoir that begins during the Dust Bowl and zigzags through time and the lives of three generations of rough-and-tumble Texan men. My predicament is that the author wants to make sure this novel / memoir appeals to women. She's provided me with several wonderful photos and personal belongings of the main character (her father)—which frees me to focus on type and color to conjure some 'feminine appeal' for this very manly tale...
The typeface used for this last comp is an embellished Jeeves.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Red Carpet business
My latest project is a title that combines red-carpet fashion and business. Imagery was a bit difficult to find—most award paparazzi shots are for 'editorial use only.' But having a chance to use some feminine type treatments more than made up for the image woes.
Typefaces used include the elegant Didot, the carefree Despeinada, and the infinitely customizable Breathe.
Typefaces used include the elegant Didot, the carefree Despeinada, and the infinitely customizable Breathe.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Love is sucha a game...
And now for something a little lighter in tone—a novel about the roller coaster ride that modern dating has become. The lipstick Xs and kisses are arranged in a tic-tac-toe game which either side can still win. Or lose.
The typeface is the acrobatic script Penabico which has an amazing number of swashes...
The typeface is the acrobatic script Penabico which has an amazing number of swashes...
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Political book's final design
Happy new year! New year means new covers. Now that the yoga book project I was working on for several months is complete, I should be posting cover designs more frequently. Yay! Here's the final for the project shown first here.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Final fitness cover
And now for something completely different—here is the final fitness cover shown earlier here. For the title font, we chose Verlag instead of Existence. They have a similar look and I preferred Existence, but Verlag has more traditional Gs and Ws. This cover is also a half an inch wider which really helped include the entire width of the cover photo.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Series cover
One of my favorite authors is back with another chilling murder mystery. In the premier novel (see it here), the first victim is found with a square hole cut from her abdomen. In this story, the first victim is found clutching a pin. I've taken elements from the first novel—the typography, blood, geometry, and deathly pallor—and transmuted it for the new scenario.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Staying above the political fray
Man, it's been a while since I've posted any covers! Here are some from a current project. This book espouses a conservative viewpoint but is not strongly partisan. Midterm elections are here and bookstore shelves are overflowing with histrionic political books. This book has a rare moderate tone, and consequently the author has requested that true to its content his book should look "above the fray."
Although he believes that America is currently going down the wrong path; he does not demonize politicians, socialists, or bankers. Instead of heads on sticks, my author calls for a cultural shift; he wants the US to return to the 'traditional American' values of individual sacrifice, gratitude, and personal responsibility. As a social entrepreneur who works to promote leadership among middle and high school students, the author sees the ethical education of the younger generation as the cure to solving our country's ills.
I went in several directions with this cover. Some are ominous while others are optimistic. A few are conceptual, while others rely more on mood. Lots feature the flag and a red, white, and blue color scheme. My favorites are the statue of liberty and the flag on the grungy wall covers.
Although he believes that America is currently going down the wrong path; he does not demonize politicians, socialists, or bankers. Instead of heads on sticks, my author calls for a cultural shift; he wants the US to return to the 'traditional American' values of individual sacrifice, gratitude, and personal responsibility. As a social entrepreneur who works to promote leadership among middle and high school students, the author sees the ethical education of the younger generation as the cure to solving our country's ills.
I went in several directions with this cover. Some are ominous while others are optimistic. A few are conceptual, while others rely more on mood. Lots feature the flag and a red, white, and blue color scheme. My favorites are the statue of liberty and the flag on the grungy wall covers.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Good review just in!
Jeff Michaels, a client of ours and author of Please Hug Me, I've Been Delayed, got a solid review in this week's ForeWord Magazine. Congrats, Jeff!
"Filled with sarcastic tips and reassurances, this book consoles discouraged airline passengers when confronting various flying mishaps. From long security lines or discoveries of delays, to inquiries about when and where to buy cheap tickets or crippling fears of a crash landing, Michaels provides a range of advice. He also discusses the history of flight (again, sarcastically), as well as recent incidents where take-off and landing crises were averted by pilots and passengers alike. If Michael’s counsel doesn’t get readers through their flights, at least it will entertain them."
Below is his final cover with illustration by the fab C. Covert Darbyshire (see his witty New Yorker cartoons here) followed by a few of my favorite rejects:
"Filled with sarcastic tips and reassurances, this book consoles discouraged airline passengers when confronting various flying mishaps. From long security lines or discoveries of delays, to inquiries about when and where to buy cheap tickets or crippling fears of a crash landing, Michaels provides a range of advice. He also discusses the history of flight (again, sarcastically), as well as recent incidents where take-off and landing crises were averted by pilots and passengers alike. If Michael’s counsel doesn’t get readers through their flights, at least it will entertain them."
Below is his final cover with illustration by the fab C. Covert Darbyshire (see his witty New Yorker cartoons here) followed by a few of my favorite rejects:
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Why do some images show up again and again?
We are awash in images. Think of all the paintings, photos, videos, and screen captures that are made every day. And yet... book jackets can still end up using the same image. Maybe this fact gives credence to the the idea that some images are just better than others——because they continue to resonate with people over time. (Or maybe we designers are just a bunch of lazy copycats!)
So with that in mind, take a look at this great collection of covers:
Even with the exact same image, it's interesting to see how much typography, cropping, and decorative elements can alter the focus of an image.
So with that in mind, take a look at this great collection of covers:
Even with the exact same image, it's interesting to see how much typography, cropping, and decorative elements can alter the focus of an image.
More copycat covers here:
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Branding branding branding
If real estate's motto is "location, location, location," then the motto for a successful book series should be "branding, branding, branding."
I revised yesterday's comps to bring in more of the previous series' branding. We still kept the DaVinci man, though—for now. Below are the previous books and the new comps.
I revised yesterday's comps to bring in more of the previous series' branding. We still kept the DaVinci man, though—for now. Below are the previous books and the new comps.
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